Pallet roping and wrapping apparatus

Abstract

Pallet roping and wrapping machines having a plurality of spools of stretch film supported on one or more spools and guides that form ropes of stretch film without cutting. Specific implementations of guides include guides formed or rings and rollers. Positions of guides may be adjustable. A primary roll of stretch film may be positionally coupled to a primary spool core, and a plurality of secondary rolls of stretch film may be positionally coupled to one or more secondary spool cores. The wrapping machines may include a plurality of guides positioned to narrow the stretch film from the plurality of secondary rolls to form a plurality of ropes fully overlapping a web of the primary roll of stretch film when wrapped around a palletized load.

It is claimed: 
     
       1. An apparatus for securing a palletized load, comprising:
 a primary roll of stretch film supported by a first spool support member; 
 at least one secondary roll of stretch film supported by at least a second spool support member; and 
 at least two sets of guides each comprising a guide width less than a width of the at least one secondary roll, each of the guides being positioned to receive a different portion of stretch film from the at least one secondary roll through the respective guide, narrow the portion received to form a rope that is narrower than a width of stretch film from the primary roll of stretch film, and position each of the two narrower ropes on the wider stretch film from the primary roll such that the two narrower ropes do not overlap each other and such that each of the two narrower ropes is positioned within the width of the wider stretch film formed by the primary roll before the stretch film from the primary roll and the stretch film from the at least one secondary roll is together stretched in a pre-stretch carriage before applying the stretch film to an item to be wrapped. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein: the at least one secondary roll of stretch film comprises at least two secondary rolls of stretch film;
 a first set of the at least two sets of guides is positioned to receive a first secondary roll of the at least two secondary rolls, narrow the first secondary roll to form a first rope, and position the first rope between a central portion of the web and a first edge of the web as the primary roll and the at least two secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load; and 
 a second set of the at least two sets of guides is positioned to receive a second secondary roll of the at least two second rolls, narrow the secondary roll to form a second rope, and position the second rope between the central portion of the web and a second edge of the web as the primary roll and the at least two secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film comprises at least three secondary rolls of stretch film and the at least two sets of guides comprises at least three sets of guides, a third set of guides of the at least three sets of guides being positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a third secondary roll of the at least three secondary rolls, narrow the third secondary roll to form a third rope, and position the third rope approximately central between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least three secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film comprises at least four secondary rolls of stretch film; 
 the at least two sets of guides comprises at least four sets of guides; 
 a third set of guides of the at least four sets of guides is positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a third secondary roll of the at least four secondary rolls, narrow the third secondary roll to form a third rope, and position the third rope between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least four secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load; and 
 a fourth set of guides of the at least four sets of guides is positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a fourth secondary roll of the at least four secondary rolls, narrow the fourth secondary roll to form a fourth rope, and position the fourth rope between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least four secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load such that each the four ropes are spaced substantially equal distance from the adjacent rope of the four ropes. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film are positionally coupled to a common core such that the at least two secondary rolls unroll at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two second rolls of stretch film are each coupled to a different core of at least two cores, the at least two cores being coupled together such that the at least two secondary rolls unroll at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a perforating spindle positioned to perforate the primary roll of stretch film and the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film as the primary roll and the at least two second rolls are wrapped around the palletized load. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls are colored differently than the primary roll. 
     
     
       9. A tamper deterring apparatus for securing a palletized load, comprising:
 a primary roll of stretch film supported by a first spool support member; 
 at least two secondary rolls of stretch film colored differently than the primary roll of stretch film and supported by a second spool support member; 
 at least two sets of guides each comprising a guide width less than a width of each of the at least two secondary rolls and positioned to receive one of the at least two secondary rolls through the respective guide, narrow the respective secondary roll to form a rope, and position the rope such that the rope is positioned within a width of and fully overlaps a web formed by the primary roll as the primary roll and the secondary roll are wrapped around a palletized load. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein:
 a first set of the at least two sets of guides is positioned to receive a first secondary roll of the at least two secondary rolls, narrow the first secondary roll to form a first rope, and position the first rope between a central portion of the web and a first edge of the web as the primary roll and the at least two secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load; and 
 a second set of the at least two sets of guides is positioned to receive a second secondary roll of the at least two second rolls, narrow the secondary roll to form a second rope, and position the second rope between a central portion of the web and a second edge of the web as the primary roll and the at least two secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film comprises at least three secondary rolls of stretch film colored differently than the primary roll and the at least two sets of guides comprises at least three sets of guides, a third set of guides of the at least three sets of guides being positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a third secondary roll of the at least three secondary rolls, narrow the third secondary roll to form a third rope, and position the third rope approximately central between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least three secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film comprises at least four secondary rolls of stretch film colored differently than the primary roll of stretch film; 
 the at least two sets of guides comprises at least four sets of guides; 
 a third set of guides of the at least four sets of guides is positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a third secondary roll of the at least four secondary rolls, narrow the third secondary roll to form a third rope, and position the third rope between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least four secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load; and 
 a fourth set of guides of the at least four sets of guides is positioned between the first and second sets of guides to receive a fourth secondary roll of the at least four secondary rolls, narrow the fourth secondary roll to form a fourth rope, and position the fourth rope between the first and second edges of the web as the primary roll and the at least four secondary rolls are wrapped around the palletized load such that each the four ropes are spaced substantially equal distance from the adjacent rope of the four ropes. 
 
     
     
       13. An apparatus for securing a palletized load, comprising:
 a primary roll of stretch film supported by a first spool support member; 
 at least one secondary roll of stretch film supported by at least a second spool support member; and 
 at least two guides having a guide width between them less than a width of the at least one secondary roll of stretch film, the guides being positioned to receive the stretch film from the at least one secondary roll, narrow it to form a rope narrower than a width of the stretch film from the primary roll of stretch film and guide the narrower rope over a web from the wider primary roll to position it fully within the width of the primary roll before the stretch film from the primary roll and the stretch film from the at least one secondary roll are together stretched in a pre-stretch carriage and before applying the stretch film to an item to be wrapped. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least two guides comprises at least two sets of guides, each comprising a guide width between them less than the width of the at least one secondary roll of stretch film, each guide set being positioned such that a different part of the stretch film from the at least one secondary roll passes through the respective guide set and is narrowed and guided to position it fully within the width of the primary roll before the stretch films are together stretched in the pre-stretch carriage and applied to the item to be wrapped. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one secondary roll of stretch film comprises at least two secondary rolls of stretch film supported by at least a second spool support member. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls of stretch film are positionally coupled to a common core such that the at least two secondary rolls unroll at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two second rolls of stretch film are each coupled to a different core of at least two cores, the at least two cores being coupled together such that the at least two secondary rolls unroll at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least two secondary rolls are colored differently than the primary roll.